OKLAHOMA CITY (KOKH) — A high-profile barbecue restauranteur was back in court for sentencing after he was convicted of defrauding the state in May.
In 2024, Attorney General Gentner Drummond announced that Ronald Brent Swadley was charged with one felony count of conspiracy to defraud the state, and five felony counts of presenting false claims against the state.
The Attorney General’s office said Swadley’s directed a restaurant equipment supplier to fabricate invoices with inflated amounts for equipment tied to Swadley's Foggy Bottom Kitchens, which operated in state parks across Oklahoma.
“In one instance, a fabricated invoice for two used food smokers allegedly was increased by an additional 30 percent,” the Attorney General’s release stated.
Prosecutors argued that the case was about greed and not about just a simple contract dispute.
The defense claims it was a scheme created by former Oklahoma Tourism Director Jerry Winchester and Gino DeMarco. The defense argued that Swadley wasn't greedy, saying invoices were marked up because that's what businessmen do in order to make a profit.
In May, Swadley was found guilty of one felony count of conspiracy to defraud the state, and five counts of presenting false claims against the state.
On Thursday, Swadley received a suspended sentence and was ordered to pay more than $1.2 million in restitution by December 2028.
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